Parents' Corner

Your tween may have a hard time knowing the difference between interacting with friends on social media and sharing too much publicly. Here’s advice for talking to your child about using technology and social networks appropriately:

You keep them safe at home, and we take care of them in our afterschool programs. Yet no matter where they go, kids are surrounded by technology—and that brings both benefits and risks. While the internet powers modern education, we also need to stay aware of how social media affects tweens, who often need help navigating the waters.

How many hours a day does your tween spend texting, tweeting, gaming and cruising Facebook? With all the media options available today, a Kaiser Family Foundation study found many children ages 8-18 are spending nearly 7.5 hours a day immersed in digital media. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends only 1 to 2 hours of media use for children, tweens and teens and recommends avoiding media exposure for children under age 2.

There has been a significant increase in the number of portable electronic devices in the average household. It only stands to reason that our children are becoming tech savvy at a very young age, either by watching parents create smart phone pictures and videos documenting their lives or being introduced to portable tablets offering brightly colored, interactive diversions. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) cautions against the overuse of television and media and recommends that it be avoided for infants and toddlers under two. Researchers and early learning educators are finding, however, that with positive guidance and age-appropriate applications, tech play can be both encouraging and educational.